Rational Wine Review #3 – Gemtree Luna Temprana Tempranillo 2013

We’re only a few days into the new year and this is a very young wine, so my expectation of fruit being well-represented in the flavour profile was not misplaced. The aromas were very expressive after a few swirls of the glass and the first sip was like a mouthful of juicy fruits. I was looking forward to whiling away the afternoon with this bottle.

Elaboration

Sadly, the flavours began to sour within the hour, and each sip became progressively unpalatable. Considering it’s initially vibrant profile, this suggests to me it should be served slightly chilled. Sometimes being in Australia we forget about the subtle differences – recommendations on serving temperature are usually directed at a European audience, and “room temperature” over there would be considered quite cool Down Under.

The back label makes mention of lunar cycles, which makes me think this vineyard practices biodynamic agriculture. While some wine aficionados swear by it, to my rational mind I cannot accept why one would make decisions according to the moon and the stars.

I actually received this wine as a gift and was not aware of the price. After a bit of research I couldn’t find this exact wine for sale, but others around the similar range and from the same vineyard were around the $25 mark.

All in all it was a good experience, and as a local it’s good to see some more exotic varietals being explored in Australia. In regards to temperature, I blame myself for not being sensitive enough to the wine. Next time I’ll be sure to have the ice bucket on hand – I suppose the lesson to be learned here is that chilling is not just for white and sparkling wines.

A note – on the label it’s printed “Temprano”, but their website shows “Temprana”. I would think the website would have the more up-to-date information, so the title of this review follows suit.